Rory McIlroy to battle on with injury

MARVIN COLLINS

Rory McIlroy will try to defend his FedEx Cup title after deciding against sitting out the rest of the season to get over a persistent rib injury.

Speaking after a tie for 22nd in the US PGA Championship on Sunday which completed a third successive year without a major title, McIlroy said he was in two minds about competing again in 2017.

‘’I don’t know what I’m going to do,’’ McIlroy, who has played just 13 events this season, said after a closing 68 at Quail Hollow. ‘’You might not see me until next year. You might see me in a couple of weeks’ time.”

After seeking the advice of sports scientist Steve McGregor in Northern Ireland, McIlroy chose the latter option and posted a link on Twitter yesterday evening to a competition to win the chance to play with him during the pro-am ahead of the BMW Championship in September.

That was followed by his manager confirming that McIlroy intends to contest the play-offs and try to win the overall FedEx Cup title – and $10 million (£7.8m) bonus – for the second year in succession.

McIlroy is currently 41st in the FedEx Cup rankings and needs to be in the top 30 in order to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship in late September.

Meanwhile, tournament host Paul Lawrie bowed out of the Saltire Energy Match Play after a nightmare finish to his second-round clash with Spain’s Alejandro Canizares.

Lawrie looked on course to produce a superb comeback as he recovered from three down after eight to win four of the next five holes, three of them with birdies, to lead for the first time in the match.

But, after Canizares regained the lead on the 14th and the 15th was halved in birdies, Lawrie hit a wild drive on the 16th to lose his ball and the hole before finding the water with his tee shot on the next.

He took off his shoes and socks to attempt a recovery shot from the edge of the hazard, but thinned his second across the green and fluffed his third.